A constructive critique of the political approach to the philosophy of human rights. This project explores the many uses of human rights discourse in contemporary politics. It focuses on an increasingly popular 'political' approach that identifies human rights as grounds for action against states which violate these rights. This project has implications for how the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 should be implemented.
Democratic Resilience: The Public Sphere and Extremist Attacks. The project aims to explain responses to extremist attacks intended to sow division, and why some democracies prove fragile, succumbing to polarisation or exclusion of key groups, while others prove resilient by sustaining integrative, tolerant discourse. The project develops new knowledge through an innovative synthesis of cultural sociology and deliberative democracy to analyse nine cases of responses in the public realm to attack ....Democratic Resilience: The Public Sphere and Extremist Attacks. The project aims to explain responses to extremist attacks intended to sow division, and why some democracies prove fragile, succumbing to polarisation or exclusion of key groups, while others prove resilient by sustaining integrative, tolerant discourse. The project develops new knowledge through an innovative synthesis of cultural sociology and deliberative democracy to analyse nine cases of responses in the public realm to attacks. Expected outcomes include a new account of the democratic public sphere, and identification of how meaningful, civil communication whose health is vital to democracy, especially in a multicultural society, can be maintained. Benefits include identification of measures to counter extremist political disruption.Read moreRead less
The Foundation, Role, and Design of Democracy. Democracy now reigns unchallenged as the master ideal in contemporary societies, western and non-western, developed and developing. But what is democracy, what is its essential role, and by what institutions can that role be best played in the changing circumstances of local, national and international life? This project develops a unified theory of the foundation, role and design of democratic institutions. By establishing a permanent international ....The Foundation, Role, and Design of Democracy. Democracy now reigns unchallenged as the master ideal in contemporary societies, western and non-western, developed and developing. But what is democracy, what is its essential role, and by what institutions can that role be best played in the changing circumstances of local, national and international life? This project develops a unified theory of the foundation, role and design of democratic institutions. By establishing a permanent international research centre focused on these vital questions, it will address theoretical and practical issues of great importance to all contemporary communities, and give Australia a new and on-going voice in crucial international debates.Read moreRead less
Rethinking climate justice in an age of adaptation: capabilities, local variation, and public deliberation. This project aims to produce recommendations, designed by citizens and stakeholders, for climate adaptation policies in three regions of Australia. These recommendations will be based on a definition of climate justice that incorporates basic needs and resources to be protected, as identified by potentially impacted communities.
The New Environmentalism of Everyday Life: Sustainability, Material Flows, and the Evolution of Environmental Movements. In recent years, a whole range of environmental groups have developed with a focus not on environmental policy at the state or national level, but instead on the development of new and more sustainable practices relating to food, energy, transport, and a range of other basic needs. This project will examine the array of newly developing practices, movements, and institutions; ....The New Environmentalism of Everyday Life: Sustainability, Material Flows, and the Evolution of Environmental Movements. In recent years, a whole range of environmental groups have developed with a focus not on environmental policy at the state or national level, but instead on the development of new and more sustainable practices relating to food, energy, transport, and a range of other basic needs. This project will examine the array of newly developing practices, movements, and institutions; draw connections between a seemingly disparate set of foci and movement groups; and design and apply a new, broad analytical framework to explain such developments in environmental action and practice. Significantly, the goal is a major new theory about the structure, foci, and strategies of a range of new environmental movements.Read moreRead less
The uneasy alliance between democracy and justice. This project will make a significant contribution to the understanding of our commitment to democratic values and practices, and what it entails for our local, regional and international obligations. It will directly address the challenge of maintaining social cohesion in an era of rapid social, economic and political change. And it will offer a fresh perspective on important public debates to do with Australian national identity and the relatio ....The uneasy alliance between democracy and justice. This project will make a significant contribution to the understanding of our commitment to democratic values and practices, and what it entails for our local, regional and international obligations. It will directly address the challenge of maintaining social cohesion in an era of rapid social, economic and political change. And it will offer a fresh perspective on important public debates to do with Australian national identity and the relation between democratic rights and individual responsibility. The project will also contribute to helping maintain and develop Australian research excellence and innovation in the field of political philosophy.Read moreRead less
The Persona of State: Conceptualising the State in International Relations. This project will develop a comprehensive theoretical account of the State as a conceptual necessity in international relations. Despite universal acknowledgement of the State as central to the discipline, no comprehensive conceptualisation has been attempted from an international perspective. The State will be investigated as a persona, embodying various properties, necessary from a range of perspectives, in various for ....The Persona of State: Conceptualising the State in International Relations. This project will develop a comprehensive theoretical account of the State as a conceptual necessity in international relations. Despite universal acknowledgement of the State as central to the discipline, no comprehensive conceptualisation has been attempted from an international perspective. The State will be investigated as a persona, embodying various properties, necessary from a range of perspectives, in various forms in modern history. This should provide in a monograph and articles a multi-faceted but easily comprehensible theory of the state that is not only a powerful analytical tool, but will provide a solid basis for subsequent theorising about international relations.Read moreRead less
A naturalistic approach to rights, norms and practices of freedom. We offer a naturalistic account of the dynamic relations between rights, norms and freedom. Case studies of the emergence of new rights for women and indigenous peoples will show how this approach generates new ways of understanding human rights, cultural norms and the interactions between them. Further outcomes will include a multidimensional approach to moral cosmopolitanism which provides a distinctive pluralistic alternativ ....A naturalistic approach to rights, norms and practices of freedom. We offer a naturalistic account of the dynamic relations between rights, norms and freedom. Case studies of the emergence of new rights for women and indigenous peoples will show how this approach generates new ways of understanding human rights, cultural norms and the interactions between them. Further outcomes will include a multidimensional approach to moral cosmopolitanism which provides a distinctive pluralistic alternative to current theories.Read moreRead less
China's invisible economic leadership: women in family enterprises. Chinese women are generally regarded as not having been in the leadership of economic reform. In contrast, the Chief Investigator's recent research on the new rich in North China suggests that the wives of new entrepreneurs may play significant, though unacknowledged, leadership roles in enterprise development. In particular, it suggests that women often act as business managers and accountants alongside their husbands, especial ....China's invisible economic leadership: women in family enterprises. Chinese women are generally regarded as not having been in the leadership of economic reform. In contrast, the Chief Investigator's recent research on the new rich in North China suggests that the wives of new entrepreneurs may play significant, though unacknowledged, leadership roles in enterprise development. In particular, it suggests that women often act as business managers and accountants alongside their husbands, especially in family based enterprises first established in the private sector. It is now proposed to test the wider applicability of these findings, and explore the consequences for the development of enterprises, families and local politics.Read moreRead less
Creating and Analysing a Citizens' Parliament: Exploring the Public's Deliberative Capacity. This project will contribute to public understanding of Australia's institutions of government, and to debates about possibilities for their reform. It will also demonstrate the contributions to governance that large-scale forums composed of typical citizens could make. In so doing, the project will illuminate the possibilities for more effective citizen participation and public consultation in Australia ....Creating and Analysing a Citizens' Parliament: Exploring the Public's Deliberative Capacity. This project will contribute to public understanding of Australia's institutions of government, and to debates about possibilities for their reform. It will also demonstrate the contributions to governance that large-scale forums composed of typical citizens could make. In so doing, the project will illuminate the possibilities for more effective citizen participation and public consultation in Australia's democracy. The project will develop applied expertise on these issues, and solidify Australia's standing as a leader when it comes to innovative democratic reform.Read moreRead less